Reclining lawn chair



Dec. 3, 1968 N. BECK 3,414,321

RECLINING LAWN CHAIR Filed Jan. 25, 1967 Fig.

Nils Bee/r INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 Dec. 3, 1968 N7 BECK 3,414,321

RECLINING LAWN CHAIR Filed Jan. 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet Ali/s Beck INVENTOK.

BY 2mm M mm United States Patent 3,414,321 RECLINING LAWN CHAIR Nils Beck, 308 Thompson St.,

Hanna, Ind. 46340 Filed Jan. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 611,762 4 Claims. (Cl. 29729) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A foldable canvas chair having crossed legs supporting armrests and a back frame which is pivotally adjustable. A footrest is pivotally connected to the back frame above the ground. A canvas web extends between the upper end of the back frame and bars suspending the footrest from the armrests.

Background of the invention This invention relates to self-adjusting, reclining lawn chairs capable of being folded into compact form for storage purposes.

Foldable lawn chairs of the type to which the present invention relates, have had several disadvantages associated therewith including for example difficulty in readjusting the chair to different reclining positions. Also, such lawn chairs have sometimes been hazardous to the hands of a person attempting to make such adjustments. Furthermore, lawn chairs of the aforementioned type have required the use of special materials and costly hardware.

Summary of the invention In accordance with the present invention, an economical, self-adjusting lawn chair is provided, the reclining position of which may be readily adjusted by the occupant without leaving the chair. The chair is thereby adjustable to an infinite number of positions between an almost horizontal reclining position and a rearwardly tilted upright position. Such adjustments of the chair as well as folding thereof to a compact storage condition may also be effected without any danger to the hands of the user. The chair may also be constructed of different materials including wood and metal.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the lawn chair in an erected condition.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the lawn chair in a partially folded condition.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the lawn chair in a completely folded condition.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the lawn chair in one extreme reclining position thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the lawn chair in an intermediate reclining position.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the lawn chair in its substantially upright position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 illustrates the lawn chair generally denoted by reference numeral 10 in condition for use. The chair includes a leg support assembly generally referred to by reference numeral 12 resting firmly on the ground in order to support all of the other parts of the chair. A pair of laterally. spaced armrests 14 are supported by the leg support assembly in horizontal positions spaced above the ground. A back frame assembly 16 is pivotally supported by the 3,414,321 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 leg support assembly about a horizontal axis at the same level. Pivotally connected to the lower ends of the back frame assembly 16 above the ground is a footrest assembly 18 extending forwardly beyond the armrests 14. The footrest assembly is suspended from the forward ends of the armrests by a pair of suspension bars 20. A load supporting canvas web 22 is suspended between the upper end of the back frame assembly 16 and the suspension bars 20 so as to form the seat and backrest carrying the major weight of the chair occupant.

In the illustrated embodiment, most of the parts forming the leg support assembly 12, the back frame assembly 16 and the footrest 18 are made of wooden rails, bars or rods. It should of course be appreciated, that the wood en parts may be replaced by lightweight tubular metal if desired.

Two pair of elongated leg members 22 and 24 form the leg support assembly 12, the leg members being pivotally interconnected by pivotal connections 26 intermediate the ends thereof to form cross leg supports. The leg members 22 of each pair are interconnected adjacent the lower ends 28 thereof by a front brace member 30 which also forms a limit stop as will be hereafter explained. The leg members 24 on the other hand are interconnected in fixed laterally spaced relation adjacent the lower ends 32 thereof by a rear brace rod 34. Separate pivotal juncture connections 36 are formed adjacent the upper ends of the leg members 22 in laterally spaced relation to each other to which the armrests are connected and defining therebetween a common horizontal axis about which the back frame assembly 16 is pivotally adjustable.

The cross legs 22 and 24 are foldable relative to each other in substantially vertical planes aligned below the laterally extending armrest members 38. Secured to each armrest member 38 along the inner edge thereof, is a bar 42 through which the pivotal connection 36 extends. The pivotal connection 36 underlies the armrest member 38 adjacent the rear edge 44 spaced from the upper end the cross leg 24 which also supports the armrest when the chair is in its erected condition shown in FIGURES l, 4, 5 and 6. In order to accommodate folding of the chair however, the upper ends of the legs 24 are connected to the bar 42 of the armrests by the folding links 46. Thus, when the folding links 46 are longitudinally aligned with the bar 42 to which they are pivotally connected, the armrests will be supported at spaced locations by the upper ends of the leg members 22 and 24.

The back frame assembly 16 includes a pair of elongated frame members 48 disposed between the armrests and pivotally interconnected therewith adjacent the rear ends 44 by means of the pivotal connections 36 aforementioned. The frame members 48 are interconnected in fixed spaced relation to each other adjacent the upper ends by the rod 50 from which the canvas Webbing 22 is suspended as aforementioned. The lower ends of the frame members 48 on the other hand are spaced above the ground and are pivotally connected by the pivotal connections 52 to the rear ends of the footrest assembly 18. Also mounted on the outside of the frame members 48 closely spaced from the lower ends thereof, are limit stops 54 extending laterally outwardly a distance sufficient to be engaged only by the leg members 24 but not with the leg members 22, the leg members 22 being placed on the outside of the leg members 24 for this reason.

The footrest assembly 18 includes a pair of elongated bars 56 pivotally connected by the pivotal connections 52 to the lower ends of the back frame members 48 on the inside thereof. The bars 56 extend forwardly from the lower ends of the back frame members above the front brace 30 and beyond the forward ends 58 of the armrests. The bars 56 are interconnected adjacent the forward ends thereof by a pair of foot supporting rails 60. Pivotal connections 62 interconnect the bars 56 to the lower ends of the suspension bars 20 by means of which the footrest assembly 18 is supported in a horizontal position above the ground for all pivotal positions of the back frame assembly 16-. The upper ends of the suspension bars 20 are accordingly pivotally connected by the pivotal connections 64 to the pivot blocks 66 secured to the armrest members 38 adjacent the forward ends 58 thereof. The suspension bars 20 are also interconnected in laterally spaced relation to each other by the rod 68 to which the forward end of the canvas webbing 22 is anchored.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that the armrests 14, the back frame assembly 16, the suspension bars 20 and the footrest assembly 18 form a parallelogram linkage by virtue of which the footrest remains parallel to the armrests supported in horizontal positions above the ground by the leg support assembly 12 as aforementioned. Pivotal displacement of the back frame assembly will therefore raise or lower the position of the footrest assembly and change the general position and load supported on the canvas webbing 22. Pivotal movement of the back frame assembly is however limited to one extreme reclining position shown in FIGURE 4 with the footrest assembly 18 elevated to its highest position by means of the limit stop 54 engaging the leg members 24 adjacent upper ends thereof. In the other limit position of the back frame assembly 16 shown in FIGURE 6, the footrest 56 is in its lowest position engaging the front brace 30 thereby preventing further movement of the back frame assembly toward the vertically upright position. The back frame assembly may however be pivotally displaced beyond the limit position shown in FIGURE 6 by downwardly folding the folding link 46 away from the armrest members 38 as shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, the chair may be completely folded to a compact condition shown in FIGURE 3 for storage purposes.

The foregoing is considered illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A foldable, adjustable reclining chair comprising, a leg support assembly, a back frame, a pair of armrests, pivotal juncture means interconnecting the armrests, the

leg support assembly and the back frame about a common horizontal axis, a footrest pivotally connected to the back frame below the armrests extending forwardly thereof, suspension means interconnecting the armrests and the footrest forwardly of the back frame for supporting the footrest parallel to the armrests and controlling the angular position of the back frame about said horizontal axis, folding link means connecting the leg support assembly to the armrests between the suspension means and the back frame, a flexible web suspended between the back frame and the suspension means to form a backrest and a seat, and limit stop means mounted on the back frame for engagement with the leg support assembly to prevent angular movement of the back frame beyond one of two limit positions, said leg support assembly including a pair of cross legs pivotally interconnected intermediate opposite ends thereof above the footrest in the other of the limit positions of the back frame, adjacent ends of said legs supporting the armrest at spaced locations, one of said adjacent ends being pivotally connected to the back frame and a folding link connecting the other of said adjacent ends to the armrest.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said leg support assembly includes a front brace supporting the footrest above the ground in said other of the limit positions of the back frame.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said footrest comprises a pair of bars pivotally connected to the back frame and the suspension means and a foot supporting rail interconnecting said bars forwardly spaced from the suspension means.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said footrest comprises a pair of bars pivotally connected to the back frame and the suspension means and a foot supporting rail interconnecting said bars forwardly spaced from the suspension means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,860,867 5/ 1932 Matthews 297-29 1,952,296 3/ 1934 Taylor 297-30 2,185,923 1/ 1940 Paul et a1. 29729 2,717,630 9/1955 Dowler 297-30 FOREIGN PATENTS 523,176 4/1955 Italy.

FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner. 

